The present invention relates to tailgates, and the like, and in particular to a split vent tailgate.
Vented tailgates are used in conjunction with vehicles, such as pickup trucks, and the like, having a bed and sidewalls extending upwardly from the bed with the vented tailgate enclosing one of the open ends. Heretofore, vented tailgates have consisted of a unitary section of frame overlain with permeable material extending from one sidewall to the other, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,589. In these designs, an elongated frame member, covered for the most part with wire mesh allowing free flow of air through it, is releasably attached to the sidewalls so that any particles resting on the bed are retained by the tailgate. In many cases, these tailgates are shipped and subsequently handled by a distributed, dealer or user. Therefore, the single piece construction of these designs can create difficulty in such shipping and handling.